Pasta alla Nerano (Italian Campanian Fried Zucchini Stanley Tucci)

Pasta alla Nerano is a dish from Campania created at the Mariagrazia restaurant, in Nerano in 1952. The recipe calls for a few simple and delicious ingredients: spaghetti, fried zucchini and provolone cheese.

20 oz zucchini
12 oz spaghetti
6 oz provolone cheese
1 clove garlic
1 bunch basil leaves
extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Thinly slice the zucchini. Fry a few slices at a time in plenty of hot oil until golden. Drain on a paper towel and sprinkle the zucchini with torn basil leaves.

Finely grate the provolone, and set it aside.

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water. Drain once al dente, setting aside two ladlefuls (~ ¾ cup) pasta cooking water.

Sauté the garlic clove in a pan with a bit of oil. Remove the garlic and add the zucchini, drained spaghetti, 1 ladleful pasta cooking water, and half the provolone. Finish cooking over low heat, adding the second ladleful of pasta cooking water gradually along with the remaining provolone, mixing until it forms a creamy sauce.

Serve immediately with a generous amount of freshly ground pepper.

Makes 4 servings.